Nationals MP takes aim at feral dogs

LANDHOLDERS should be able to carry rifles in farm vehicles, according to Nationals MP Ray Hopper, who has taken aim at the growing problem of feral dogs.

Mr Hopper recently gunned down the leader of a pack of wild dogs roaming near his property, saying farmers had a duty of care to do the same.

He has been backed by Land Protection Council chairman Murray Jones, who linked the incidence of wild dog packs to dingoes which attacked a child on Fraser Island in 2001.

"This is a serious matter. These dogs are not scared of people," Mr Hopper said.

Packs were encroaching close to properties and threatening livestock.

Mr Jones warned people against feeding these dogs, pointing to the problem of dingoes on Fraser Island.

"The fear is that they (the wild dogs) are aggressive enough to attack people," Mr Jones said.

"There was that terrible attack on Fraser Island.

"These dogs are feral and wild. If they become aggressive they could attack."

Mr Hopper has approached the State Government over the need for more baiting.

"We're not dealing with Bambi here. I know wild dogs pretty well," said Mr Hopper, who had worked as a dogger.

MR Hopper said farmers had the right to destroy these feral animals and should shoot them.

"Absolutely. They have a duty of care."

He said dogs in the pack he had encountered had not attacked, but it had been an uncomfortable situation.

Mr Hopper said a possible option to deal with the dogs was a softening of gun laws which had been changed so that farmers could not leave their rifles in their utilities, but instead had to lock them up.

"That's one of the reasons we have this problem," he said.

Wambo mayor Mick Cosgrove said Mr Hopper was dead right about the dog problem.

"My son-in-law has a property adjourning Mr Hopper's and that is where the dogs came through," he said.